Lady Tigers fall to Oilers, get victory over Norwich

Wednesday

Feb 7, 2018 at 9:05 AM

The Lady Tigers were overpowered in a 29-67 loss to the Central Plains Oilers but took a 39-25 victory over the Norwich Eagles.

Barry Ragan

It’s never easy as the St. John-Hudson Lady Tigers face the Central Plains full court press for the third time this year. Held at Claflin this time, the Lady Tigers came up way short, losing to the Oilers 29-67 last Friday.

In an earlier game held at Norwich on Tuesday, the St. John gals defeated the Norwich Eagles 39-25.

Even though the Oilers head coach Pat Stiles was absent, it really didn’t change much of anything. And the Lady Tigers knew what they were going to face – that full court press, take-a-ways, traps along the sideline, fast breaks, etc. The result had the Lady Tigers falling behind 4-20 after one.

Scoring for the Tigers was Leslie Ramirez making the first basket four minutes in, and Bree Meyer making a basket two minutes later.

The second quarter was just about the same, but this time Paige Doran made a free throw, Ramirez made another free throw, and Tara Nelson made a basket at the buzzer, the score at the half 8-40.

The third and fourth quarters went better for St. John. Torre Fisher made St. John’s first basket three minutes in, Meyer went 2-2 from the line, and Fisher again went 2-2 from the line with three minutes left. Meyer made a 3-pointer, and Fisher made a basket, the score going into the fourth, St. John 19-Central Plains 59.

St. John’s Eric Crissman nailed a 3-pointer and made a basket. Meyer hit her second 3-pointer, and Fisher went 2-2 from the line, the Oilers get a 29-67 win.

Against the Norwich Eagles, the first quarter was about even as Nelson made a 3-pointer, followed by two baskets, Doran went 1/2 from the line, Jackie Rios made a basket and Fisher made a basket at the buzzer, the Tigers behind 12-14.

In the second, neither team did much on offense as the Tigers scored seven points while the Eagles scored four. Doran made a basket and a free throw, Nelson made a basket and made two free throws, the Lady Tigers lead 19-18.

The Tigers broke away in the third, outscoring the Eagles 12-2. Fisher first made a free throw, followed by Meyer’s 3-pointer. Rios made a basket, Nelson two free throws and a basket, and Crissman making two free throws, the Lady Tigers lead 31-20.

In the fourth, Nelson and Crissman each made a basket. Doran made two baskets.

The Tigers defeat the Eagles 39-25.

“We have played Central Plains more times than anybody since their school's existence” said St. John’s Danny Smith. “This was our third time playing them this season. I felt like the first two times we played them we were able to play better defensively and battled them a lot harder. They are a humbling team for anyone to play. Bree Meyer gave us a bit of a lift offensively by making every shot that she took from the field and free throw line and had 10 points.”

“Norwich played hard despite their record and outside of the first quarter, we played pretty well,” said Smith. “Defensively, we really shut them down after the first quarter, holding them to 11 points for the rest of the game. Defensively, we are pretty happy with where we are at.

“We still struggle offensively and rebounding. These two things go hand in hand. Tara had 17 and she will tell you that it should be more than that. Jackie and Torre are playing tremendous pressure defense.”